Day of the Dead Group c. mid 20th century

Editor: We’re looking at a mid-20th century ceramic sculpture called "Day of the Dead Group," which seems to be from Mexico or another part of Latin America, at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It depicts two figures on a cart pulled by a red animal and strikes me as quite festive. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The imagery is layered, wouldn’t you say? Beyond the bright colours and folksy style. Consider the pairing of figures. We have what seems to be a man, maybe singing or shouting from the back of the cart. Up front we see what seems to be a figure, possibly dead, their skin mottled in white circles; notice their hat adorned with a pointed symbol. Think about the tension: life and death riding together. What might that symbolize, in the context of Day of the Dead traditions? Editor: It seems to echo the holiday’s focus of celebrating and remembering deceased loved ones, blurring the boundary between the living and spirit realms. Curator: Precisely. The pointed headgear hints at something potentially more ancestral and ceremonial, as headgear, especially elaborate pieces, mark position or roles. Now consider the animal pulling this peculiar duo - What is it? A Xoloitzcuintli perhaps? Do you see visual clues about the figure? Editor: With its pointy ears and decorated fur, it reminds me of some folk traditions connected to psychopomps or guides for the soul. Would that connect the piece with ideas of journeys and rites of passage? Curator: Very good! This humble ceramic, therefore, becomes more than decorative; it is charged with centuries of meaning woven into the rituals of remembering the dead and considering transitions from one state to another. Editor: It's amazing to think about how a simple sculpture can hold so much cultural significance. I had only noticed the colorful, bright presentation, but now I appreciate how it taps into deep symbolic territory!